Chairperson of Methodist Welfare Services’ Board of Governance and a regular volunteer at its nursing homes, Eugene Toh shares a personal reflection from a recent pastoral care visit.
You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
~ Psalm 32:7 (NKJV)
Have you ever felt like life’s challenges have taken you to the deepest pits, where hope feels distant? How often do we forget that even in those depths, God’s love is present and active, working to deliver us in ways we might not yet see?
Recently, I visited MWS Bethany Nursing Home and chatted with one of the residents, Catherine (not her real name).
Catherine’s story: A journey to deliverance
Catherine shared openly with me the disorienting mental episodes she had faced, and the side effects of the medications she was prescribed, which left her feeling powerless. For years, these struggles threatened to define her life.
She also told me that she had attended 45 Bible study sessions—a testament of her hunger for God’s Word. Most of all, Catherine’s faith shone through as she spoke of God’s deliverance. She shared her life verse, Jeremiah 39:18 (NKJV): “For I will surely deliver you ...” It is a promise she has clung to through every difficulty.
I asked Catherine how long it had been since her last episode. She smiled. “Not once,” she said, “in the four years that I’ve been staying here.” Praise God for that! Isn’t that deliverance?
A shared vulnerability
As Catherine shared her story, I found myself opening up about my own struggles. I spoke of a family member facing a serious health crisis, one that had deeply tested my family’s faith. This trial had taught us to lean on God’s promises and reminded us of his faithfulness in ways we had not fully realised before.
That moment of mutual vulnerability created a powerful connection. We were not just exchanging stories but bearing witness to God’s love in the midst of our trials. Like a hiding place, his love surrounded us, reminding us that no matter how deep our struggles, his presence is deeper still.
The hiding place: God’s love in the depths
Catherine’s story reminded me of The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, an autobiographical account of her experiences during World War II. Published in 1971, the book details how Corrie and her family hid Jews from the Nazis in their home in the Netherlands. The title refers to both the physical hiding place and the spiritual refuge found in God, as referenced in Psalm 119:114 (NKJV): “You are my hiding place and my shield …”
Despite the brutal conditions, abuse from guards and the constant threat of death, Corrie and her sister Betsie ministered to the women in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, sharing the gospel from a small, smuggled Bible. Their unwavering faith led many fellow prisoners to Christ. Tragically, Betsie fell ill and died in the camp on 16 December 1944. Shortly after, Corrie was released due to a clerical error; all women her age were executed just a week later.
In the depths of Ravensbrück, Betsie offered profound words of hope: “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
Just as Corrie found strength in God’s promises, Catherine’s story reminds us that deliverance does not mean the absence of struggle. Instead, it often looks like God sustaining us, strengthening us and showing his faithfulness in ways that transform us from within.
Three personal applications
This volunteering experience revealed several truths about God and our struggles.
1. There is God’s timing for deliverance, not ours
The waiting can be difficult when we are in the midst of challenges, but God’s timing is perfect. Just as Jeremiah 39:18 reminds us, God’s deliverance is certain, even if it does not come when we expect it. Learning to trust his timing deepens our faith and helps us rest in his sovereignty.
2. There is God’s way of deliverance, not ours
Deliverance may not always come in the way we imagine or desire. Sometimes, God works in ways that we cannot see, leading us through unexpected paths to accomplish his purposes. As Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV) says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.”
3. But surely, there will be deliverance
The promise of deliverance is unshakeable. It may come in this life, or in eternity, but God’s Word assures us that deliverance is part of his plan for his children. Holding on to this truth provides hope and strength, no matter how deep the valley may feel.
As The Hiding Place so beautifully expresses: there is no pit so deep that God’s love cannot reach. It is only when we rest in this hiding place will we find the ultimate deliverance. Let us rest in that love, trusting him to deliver us in his perfect way and timing. In every trial, his presence is our hiding place.
This visit to MWS Bethany Nursing Home was one of many I had made, which blessed me profoundly. These experiences have given me different reflections on life and helped me see challenges in a new light, especially as I witness the struggles and faith of others. Truly, they remind me of the goodness of God and the depth of his love.
Just like Eugene’s regular volunteering has afforded him a front row seat to God’s promises and strengthened his own faith, will you consider volunteering and spending some time with the marginalised or vulnerable groups whom God loves too? Who knows, you may well also experience God in precious, unexpected ways.
The Methodist Church in Singapore is celebrating its 140th Anniversary this year. Through its social concerns arm, Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), it is rallying Methodist church members to contribute 1.4 million hours (about 35 hours a person) to serve the community in any area of social concern. These hours are not limited to volunteering with MWS or with local churches.
Scan the QR code for more information.
By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team
